Micromax ODI CUP – Bangladesh vs New Zealand
Black Caps left harmed
It takes a well-oiled machine of a batting line-up to tackle three left-arm spinners.
But the third one-day at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur saw Bangladesh’s three-man left-arm spin attack destroy New Zealand and pick up a 7-wicket win with ten overs to spare.
The trio that picked up six of the ten wickets to fall consisted of the right ingredients needed for such an attack. Shakib Al Hasan’s guile, the steady experience of Abdur Razzak and Sohrawardi Shuvo’s liveliness was a little too much for the New Zealand batsmen to handle. They looked desperately short of experience and in a bid to up the run-rate, tumbled like a pack of cards.
This potent mix of spin have so far given mixed results for the Tigers, but yesterday it was a match-winning combination.
During the 2007 World Cup for example, Bangladesh used Shakib, Razzak and Mohammad Rafique to good effect and won matches against India and South Africa. Normally one or two take the plaudits but on this occasion, it was a combined effort.
New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori gave the perfect explanation for why a think-tank would employ three spinners of the same kind.
“If you can fit them in the team and they are good enough, it doesn’t matter what they bowl,” Vettori told the reporters after the match.
“Bangladesh has the luxury of having a player like Shakib [Al Hasan] batting high up the order and him being an all-rounder. [Abdur] Razzak bowled well and the new guy [Sohrawardi Shuvo] also did well today,” he added.
Thanks to Shafiul Islam’s first over dismissal of the visitors’ most experienced batsman Brendon McCullum, the spinners knew they had one vital cog removed from the New Zealand wheel.
Shakib later said that McCullum’s dismissal was a “turning point” and it took off a lot of pressure.
“After Shafiul [Islam] removed McCullum in the first over, it was easier for the spinners to bowl as we kept them tight in the first ten overs,” said Shakib.
Soon enough, Bradley Whatling mistimed his charge at Razzak in the 14th over to put an end to a fine 55-run second wicket stand with Jesse Ryder, who himself fell seven balls later. The left-handed Ryder flattered to deceive, holing out at deep mid-wicket where Imrul Kayes took the catch off Shuvo, playing only his fifth one-dayer.
The Rangpur-born Shuvo has been touted for the past few years to be a Tigers shoe-in and he made his first big impact in international cricket after spending several seasons in the fringes.
“[Sohrawardi] Shuvo bowled exceptionally well,” said Shakib.
The man himself said that he tried to stick to what he knew best. “I tried to bowl normally, according to the basics of line and length,” said Shuvo, who added that it was important for him to grab the opportunity.
But it was probably his worst delivery that got the most important wicket of the New Zealand innings. Skipper Daniel Vettori top-edged a full toss back to Shuvo for nine off 15 balls.
On home conditions that offered a playing surface full of turn and favourable overhead conditions, Bangladesh also enjoyed the bonus of having Shakib as the captain.
He bowled a tight first and second spell during which he beautifully foxed Grant Elliott with a classic left-armer’s dismissal, beating the batsman’s defence and crashing into off-stump.
He rotated the three left-armers and the pacemen smartly to keep the New Zealanders in check during the middle period, particularly with Ross Taylor at the crease.
Shanan Stewert, hogging a lot of the strike during his laboured 19-run stand with Taylor, missed a straight one from Shuvo to give away his wicket. Soon, Rubel Hossain came back to clean up Nathan McCullum to reduce the Kiwis to 101 for seven, after which however the Tigers took their foot off the gas.
Taylor, along with Kyle Mills, added 72 for the eighth wicket in only 56 balls with both batsmen taking full advantage of their third Powerplay. Shakib ended their resistance with Mills skying his well-floated delivery to long-on.
One couldn’t expect Shakib to deliver a Botham-esque performance every time he enters the field so it was quite a relief for the No 1 all-rounder in the world to bowl a tight spell, rotate the bowlers and hit the winning runs.
The victory would also put forward the case for the three left-armers to start more regularly, especially in home conditions.
